I could try to come up with something witty to introduce the second half of my interview with T, but he doesn't require an introduction.
Chef T kicked things off in yesterday's interview, which you'll find over here.
Ready to learn more? You don't have to look far.
Do you have any skills that are not food-related?
While going to school, I developed an eye for film. I can see a whole script: plot, camera angles, action sequence and actors within the first minute of the thought.
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Are you superstitious?
I'm not superstitious, I make my own destiny, I make my own fate.
Last song playing on your radio:
Till I Collapse by Eminem & Nate Dogg
Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm or Magic Mountain?
Neither. I prefer Sea World; I love animals.
When you're not at work, what are you doing (Or if you're at work all the time, what would you rather be doing)?
If I'm not at work I'm probably sleeping. Maybe an occasional movie here and there. But when I'm at work, I wouldn't do anything else for the world. I love to cook. The art keeps me going. It's my passion, my life. The kitchen is my home.
Where did you grow up, and where do you call home?
I grew up in Oakland, but the tough streets of Long Beach is where I called home.
Hardest lesson you've learned:
Only when you are done falling, only then shall you be able to rise.
What's your favorite childhood memory?
Family cookouts and BBQ; those were the best.
Last thing you looked up/searched online:
The O.C. Weekly.
Last book you read; how was it?
The Biography of Marco Pierre White, The Devil in the Kitchen. I truly love this book!
What would you be doing if you weren't in this business?
I'd probably be behind movie scenes and cameras somewhere, most likely directing.
Is there anything you'd like readers to know about the restaurant that we haven't asked?
When you look at the Federal Bar, you see a remarkable building, filled with history and nostalgia. But what people don't know is that the Fed is more than that. It's a place to have your business meeting at noon. A place to have your birthday party before the sun sets. A place to take your first date. A place to dine with our nightly specials. A place to say your vows. A place to go clubbing. A place for bottomless mimosas for you and mom during Sunday brunch.
When you come here, for whatever case it might be, we guarantee that when you walk out, you walk out with class. It doesn't matter where you're from, your background or your bank account. That's the Fed: great people, great food, great staff and always class.
The Federal Bar is located at 102 Pine Ave, Long Beach, (562) 435-2000; www.lb.thefederalbar.com.
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.